Product Description

∗ Shows how to build an animation right away.
∗ Gives users valuable hands–on experience under the expert guidance of 3D master Kelly Murdock.
∗ Includes a 16–page full–color insert explaining how to push the limits of max.
∗ Explores the major program changes that are expected with the next release of 3ds max.
∗ Provides tutorial files from the book, trial versions of related software, and exclusive plug–ins on the enclosed CD–ROM.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #808798 in Books
• Published on: 2002-12-30
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1296 pages

From the Back Cover
"This book is a valuable and insightful resource for beginning and advanced 3D artists alike looking to harness the most power from the vast capabilities of 3ds max 5."
–Phillip Miller, Vice President, Discreet Animation Products Group
∗ Build your first dynamic animation project today with unique Quick Start guide
∗ Master all the new features found in 3ds max 5 including Global Illumination, Radiosity, Character Posing, and Layers
∗ Create cutting–edge special effects for video, motion pictures, games, and television

If 3ds max 5 can do it, you can do it too . . .

Plunge into the world of professional animation with 3D expert Kelly Murdock, whose easy–to–follow tutorials and fluid explanations make this book a must–have for beginners and experienced users alike. He meets you wherever you are as a 3ds max user and elevates your skills to the next level. If you′re a veteran, here is the indispensable road map to the complex variations of version 5. If you′re meeting "Max" for the first time, the amazing Quick Start teaches you to build an eye–popping animation in your very first session!

Inside, you′ll find complete coverage of 3ds max 5
∗ Add realistic lighting to your images with 3ds max 5′s new Advanced Lighting features including Global Illumination, Radiosity, Photometric Lights, and Area Shadows
∗ Explore such new modeling features as Character Assemblies, improved bone tools, poseable skin, and a host of new poly object modeling additions such as extruding along a spline
∗ Increase scene details with materials and maps like the new Ink ′n′ Paint material
∗ Automate the animation process with many improvements to the Track View, including Auto Tangents and Soft Selections
∗ Investigate new transform gizmos and other new version 5 interface elements

Bonus CD–ROM
∗ 3ds max, Version 5 demo
∗ All tutorial sample files, models, and bitmaps
∗ Exclusive plug–ins from Furious Research, including Rainbow atmospheric effect, Sketch render effect, and many more

About the Author
Kelly Murdock has been involved with more computer books than he cares to count–to the point that he avoids the computer book section of the bookstore, except for the graphics section, which still remains an obsession. His book credits include various Web, graphics, and multimedia titles, including two previous editions of this book, 3ds max 5 Bible. Other major accomplishments include Master VISUALLY HTML and XHTML, JavaScript Visual Blueprint, Adobe Atmosphere Bible, and co–authoring duties on two editions of the Illustrator Bible (for versions 9 and 10).

With a background in engineering and computer graphics, Kelly has been all over the 3D industry and still finds it fascinating. He′s used high–level CAD workstations for product design and analysis, completed several large–scale visualization projects, created 3D models for feature films, worked as a freelance 3D artist, and even done some 3D programming. Kelly′s been using 3D Studio since version 3 for DOS.

In his spare time, Kelly coaches Little League baseball, competes in sports, and is learning how to rock climb.

Customer Reviews

3ds max 5 bible review
This is a great book, you can use it if you are a noob or if you are more into 3ds max. If you are a noob, then you can use the quick start chapter, it's good, short and you learn how to animate, put on textures and some basic functions. It's great!
After the quick start chapter, you begin to go in depth with max, the interfaces, modeling, animation, textures, all the new features and more.....
It has every thing that you need!!!!

Too vague
An impressive number of pages and a nice tutorial CD, for me, did not detract from the fact that this book assumes the user already knows his or way around 3D Studio Max 5.

The Quickstart tutorial only touches vaguely on each step throughout the project and you'll often find yourself reading ahead and looking for an image to give clarification of what the tutorials are telling you to do.

I got completely stuck on only page 7 of this 1100-page book, after following the instructions to the letter and not getting anything like the results shown in the book.

I skipped further on to the section on Space Warps, to see if such a complicated topic had been given any better attention. Those tutorials told me "do this, do that" and so on, which I did, and most of them worked, but I was often left thinking "WHY am I doing this? WHY am I doing that?" - it tells you to set parameters and does not even attempt to tell you what that parameter actually does, therefore its difficult if not impossible to go away and implement it into your own projects.

If my feeling from reading this book is correct - that Mr Murdock is getting tired of writing books about 3D Studio Max, then perhaps its time to stop, because this one is simply no good.

I might learn a few things from it, which is why its earned two stars rather than the one I *was* going to give it.

The finest 3D Studio Max book ever
Over the years I have accumulated about a dozen books on the various releases of 3D Studio max and this is the best by far. The features are explained in plain english where possible and are extensive. Real world scenarios are given for the features and sow the seed for the creative processes needed within max. The use of tips and cross-references to other chapters is excellent, as are the tutorials which come complete with models and textures. The learning curve is set at a steady pace and you feel encouraged to continue onto the next chapter. A great book all round.